Two of a Kind
by Eleonore Magilinon
Summary: Every choice we make creates an alternative universe – it was the Doctor who said that. But what if that day on the Valiant one person has made a different decision, and the Doctor had his dangerous wish of traveling together with the Master granted?
1. Bad Day

**A/N:** Okay, it was The Doctor who said that every choice we make create an alternative universe where that one particular choice was made differently and created a new turn of events.  
>And I want to unfold the course of events following one particular decision being made otherwise.<br>First chapter it's Master's POV, then I plan to write most of in third person style.

**UPD:** Had to reupload the story, since there seemed to be some ff error, maybe the Master is playing tricks on me, or the name of the chapter is unlucky... But **Kyhy()**, your review was read and greatly appreciated.

* * *

><p><strong> Chapter 1. Bad Day.<strong>

_Every decent time traveler must be capable of making up fairy good explanations._

When all is said and done, there is just one thing left to set straight.

"You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?"

Yes, Doctor, tell me – what you are going to do with a man who's almost destroyed your precious Earth? Damn the "almost" part though...

"You're my responsibility from now on. The only Time Lord left in existence."

Oh, no, don't give me that! Now you're the responsible kind. The oh-so-good Doctor, now advancing to become a saint.

"Yeah, but you can't trust him."

Jack looks so funny, all worried, hurrying to state the obvious.

"No. The only safe place for him is the TARDIS."

Now, that's amusing, the logic of it. Really, it is.

"You mean you're just gonna…keep me?"

What is it that he is talking about? Am I some sort of a dog to him? Is he actually going to... have me around all the time? Doesn't that mean that _I_ am going to have _him_ around all the time, whether I like it or not?

"Hmm. If that's what I have to do. It's time to change."

I look up, I try to focus on that tiny black dot on the ceiling – I don't want to hear all that. I don't really know why, but I just don't! It feels that something in me will go wrong if I were to take those words seriously.

"Maybe I've been wandering for too long. Now I'll have someone to care for."

I still can't help hearing that phase to the very last syllable when the bullet hits me.

At first I don't actually understand what has just happened, so I only stare at the Doctor, surprised. Then I start falling down, and as I do I finally see Lucy, still holding a gun in her hand – so, it was her. How ironic.

The Doctor catches me as I fall, lowering me down carefully.

"There you go. I've got you. I've got you._"_

"Always the women."

"I didn't see her."

You are actually apologizing for not saving me from all the people who want me dead? Bad idea, there's just too many of them, too many even for the almighty Doctor.

"Dying in your arms. Happy now?"

"You're not dying, don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."

"No." No, Doctor. Don't you get it?

"One little bullet. Come on."

"I guess you don't know me so well. I refuse."

I refuse, Doctor. I choose to die - and to win. How about that? I win, and you are not gonna have it your way. Not again! Not _ever_ again!

"On no, you don't."

I hear that, and the next moment I see that girl, that Matha Jones, right above me. Now, that's quick.

"Time Lord or not, you're not going to die from a wound like that. Not if I can help it".

She pushes Doctor away from me, then puts her hands of the wound and presses. Hey, it hurts, you know? Well, it hurts either way, yeah, but damn it! What the hell is she doing? I had a perfect plan here, I was going to proudly die right now, having it _my_ way – and then get safely resurrected by my faithful followers, but of course – and I was going to see the Doctor in anguish and despair, all tearful and heartbroken – oh, the marvellous sight of that! – as a pleasing free bonus.

And then she had to go and spoil all that.

Remember what I said? Always the women.

"Are you insane?" I inquire, trying my best to distract her, although talking is not exactly the easiest task right now. Well, seriously, I don't even know if I should be indignant or amused, considering the situation. Why should she of all people be trying to save me?

"Have you forgotten? I'm a dangerous madman, who tried to kill you, your family, not even minding the whole..."

"Shut up!" she exclaims, not even letting me finish, and then presses harder. I barely suppress a cry – I'm not going to cry from pain in front of the Doctor! And just how dare she!

"What the..." I start again. Like I am going to listen to her.

" I said SHUT UP! You shouldn't speak in your condition."

What's her problem, really? It's not like I actually shut up because she said so, it's just that...

"Is there a first-aid kit?" she continues, and she's a little bit scary right now.

"Yes?" one of the assistants says doubtfully, not even sure why he was answering – and I can understand him... well, almost. He's human, after all. Never understood _them_.

"Than get it here NOW!"

Scary. Yes, definitely scary.

"But why, Martha?..." oh, I know that voice! Come on, Francine, I know you should really, really hate me! I made your life a nightmare for a whole year, I was trying so hard! Come on, don't let me down!

"Mom, I know I'm crazy doing this, and I'm sorry, I am, but... you see, I traveled with the Doctor, and then I've seen a lot of people this year – and it made me realize... we shouldn't go on deciding who should live and who should not. If we can help someone, we just do it. And the Doctor has saved us all, he saved me so many times – so if I can do something for him, than I will do it, whether I like it or not."

Oh, just great! More heroic acts and yet more things to do with the Doctor, it's always the Doctor who matters, always always always the Doctor...

And just if that wasn't enough, now I'm starting to loose conscience.

"What now, Doctor? Should we take him to the medical quarters, or?..."

"No, get him to the TARDIS. In there, there's all we need to save him. We just need to get him there in time." Those words are distant, like they're coming through the veil.

Everything gets blurred, and I try to cling to the hope that I will die before they can save me. But knowing TARDIS isn't that far away... Let's face it, my chances are slim.

Damn it. And the day started so well...

And yet the funny thing is – with my conscience slipping into the pain the drums seem to do the same. They're dying away, giving me one tiny moment of piece. It feels so strange – the world without the constant repeat of four beats in my head. So strange, so unnatural. It still hurts like hell, but nevertheless the world feels so...

Before I can finish, everything falls into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Well, I would appreciate it if you drop me a line in comments if you think it's worth continuing. Since so much more can be told about those two...

The Doctor doesn't yet fully understand what he's up for, deciding to make the Master "his responsibility" – he's not what one would call the responsible kind, don't you think? Well, when it doesn't come to saving the universe, but rather on the daily basis. And the Master, in turn, is being far away from the mere idea that his priorities between escaping to make some troubles for the universe _and_ getting himself in a life-threatening situations while helping the Doctor on his ridiculous quest to save some stupid race from destruction are about to get changed.

And then, or course, there are the drums.


	2. Time to Change

**A/N**: Well, I'm continuing with the story. This is still not exactly a full chapter but rather like an interlude, but then it contains an important hint for the future, so I decided to leave it as it is.

Also, I want to thank **Kyhy()** and **IrelandSavage **for the reviews - I appreciated them a lot.

As for the question about genre, well, unfortunately I'm not a slash fan, at least not when it comes to the Doctor and the Master. They do love each other, that's obvious, it's just that it's different kind of love. I actually think that the Doctor owes Martha an apology – she didn't watch too much TV and a lost younger brother comes pretty close to the way he sees the Master. And I think I should warn you that I do have some plans for the romance in the story, and it might me not the most popular pairings as I see the situation on ff - but then, all of them are more or less hinted in the canon. Well, all but one, but that concerns Sara Jane.

And since I've discovered that my plans fit the idea of a series better than a single story, this can be considered part of the "Rules of Time Traveling" series, and every chapter now starts with a rule – and they do have meaning, I should say.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2. Time to Change.<strong>

_A time traveler is required to have a profound understanding of the concept of time. _

_The ability to explain it, however, is highly approved of but not obligatory._

"So, you're really going to do this?"

They were standing outside of the TARDIS, located in front of Martha's home. The sun was setting down, bathing the street with golden glitter, and a slight wind was blowing, swaying the leaves, making it a perfect afternoon of the early autumn.

It's been a couple of days since the scene on the Valiant, everyone got back home safely and with all the people around living their ordinary lives like nothing ever happened – they always do, not even knowing what sort of future they barely escaped! – all the Toclafane, extraterrestrial invasion and the crusade over the continents have already started to feel distant, like a book page that has been flipped over. It's fascinating, the way the human brain works – a doctor should know.

But with one chapter ending the other was starting.

"Yes." The Doctor nodded, with the same determined look he'd been having a lot since he had made his decision. To say the truth, she had never seen him this concentrated continuously for such a long period of time – if it wasn't a case of saving the Earth or the whole universe with no time to waste – so Martha felt a little worried. But still, if it really was like she had been told...

"Then good luck with it, Doctor. You're going to need a lot of it, if it's him we're talking about."

The ex-Prime Minister of Britain – she had no idea how they managed to calm the international scandal about that – and alternatively, another Time Lord besides the Doctor who managed to survive the Time War, the Master, was still in the process of healing. The technologies abroad the TARDIS far surpassed those of the Earth's 21 century, but then to Martha's surprise she discovered that other than their ability to regenerate, Time Lords were not that great when it came to health, so their recuperation from a bullet wound took a little longer than for an average human. The Doctor tried to convince her that it was a special case about the Master thought.

"Thank you, Martha. Really – thank you for everything. You're brilliant, you know that?" The Doctor smiled, the sincere and whole-hearted way he always did that charmed her a long time ago. And he still didn't notice...

"I know" she smiled back. "I'm pretty good, ain't I?"

"Oh yeah!" the Doctor laughed, and so did she.

"Well, it's been a nice time."

"Yes, it was!" he exclaimed. "And if you want..." he paused, hesitant. "I mean, it's going to be a lot tougher now, and I don't want to put you in danger, but if you want, you can still..."

"No, I think I've traveled enough." She made her decision as well, and she was content her voice sounded confident when she said it. "This year-that-never-was really made me think, I realized there are lots of things I can do here, on Earth, lots of people I can help, being the doctor I've always wanted to be. And I have my family to take care of – they had experienced terrible things and I have to help them get on with their lives... You said it was time for you to change – and so it is for me. Time to move on with my life. Time to..." _get out._ Get out from the relationship that won't be going anywhere, but she couldn't tell him that. But the a thoughtful expression on his face made her wonder if he had actually guess what she was about to say – or was it just her wishful thinking? "Anyway, I think our last adventure was a good finishing point, I doubt I could do anything on the same scale any time soon" she laughed, and the Doctor smiled in return.

And so, she laughed it off, the thing she wanted to tell him so much... But then, maybe it was for the best. At least he smiled – she didn't want him to look sad, no reason was good enough for that.

"Well, I do think you have a potential to do something even bigger, Martha Jones", the Doctor couldn't help adding with a theatrical seriousness in his tone, "but then..." he opened his arms and hugged her.

She hugged him back – and while they stood there, neither of them willing to let go, she felt infinitely happy that out of all the things what could happen in the whole wide universe she was lucky enough to meet the Doctor. Everything else was not important – it was worth it, definitely, it was.

"Thanks for everything" he repeated again.

She felt she was missing him already.

"Hey, so it is only pretty girls who get a hug from you? That's not fair!" they heard a familiar voice, and when they let go of each other and turned their heads to the sound, they saw Jack standing right next to them. That came sort of unexpected – to say the least. And gave off a feeling of a magician's trick.

"How on Earth did you pulled that off?" the Doctor exclaimed. "Have you teleported? But I am pretty sure I switched your vortex manipulator..."

"Calm down, this time I chose something rather old-fashioned." He nodded at the car parked a dozen yards away from the TARDIS, smiling brightly. It was obvious he enjoyed seeing their surprised faces.

"But how?.."

"I was a Time Agent once, you know. The fact that I do prefer to make an impression" – Martha chuckled, hearing that – "doesn't mean that I can't be rather... imperceptible if I want to."

"You just wanted to make fun of me." The Doctor was trying to sound offended.

"Why would you think that?" the smile on Jack's face became even wider.

Yep, that was probably the point.

"Then why _are_ you here, then?" the Doctor continued. Seemed like he was still suspicious.

"Just want to see you off" Jack explained happily. "Really, I only wanted to make sure it wouldn't look like you're running away from me again." The Doctor returned him a look which somehow succeeded in being both offended and apologizing. "Just seeing you off properly, just that."

"Well... thank you for seeing me off, then." The Doctor smiled, and Martha felt that he finally believed in Jack's sincerity – and probably even felt a little ashamed of the way he acted before. Something quite expected from the Doctor, if you know him well enough.

"And what about you? You sure you don't want me to drop you off somewhere, some place and time you choose?"

"No, for once I am equally uninterested in sports cars and space hoppers. That year we spend on the Valiant... I thought about them a lot, that team of mine. Seems like I've gotten my own responsibility, just like you. Looks like a popular trend these days." The face Jack made was definitely not the one a nice and proper responsible person would make – Martha couldn't help laughing yet again – but there was something about him, something underneath that mask of a joker that made one believe he really meant what he was saying.

"So, are you still... sure about this, Doctor? Absolutely sure?" the was some worry slipping out in those words, as much as he wanted to sound carefree. He was still pretty much worried about the Doctor.

"Yes, I am." The Doctor spared him the irritation he could have shown on the fact that everyone kept asking him the same thing, unable to accept that he did know what he was going after all. He just answered truthfully, knowing that his friend was simply concerned about him.

"All right. And how it _he_ doing?"

"He's still sleeping inside the TARDIS. Since it's not regeneration, healing the wound is going to take a while."

"And is it safe for us to stand outside while he is inside?" Jack raised his eyebrows. "Mind me, Doctor, I am definitely not going through all of that for a second time." Martha wasn't sure exactly how much Jack was joking while saying, and how much he meant it, dead serious.

"Don't worry, he's not going to do anything" the Doctor answered nonchalantly.

"But Doctor...

"Isomorphic controls" the Doctor added the same way – like it explained everything. Maybe it did to Jack, but when the Doctor caught the puzzled look on her face, he continued. "I put TARDIS on isomorphic controls, the only one who can operate it now is me. And I double-checked it. And triple-checked it too" he added, before Jack could say a word. "Yes, I know who I am dealing with. No more tricks with the TARDIS."

"Yes, about that – " Jack looked satisfied with the safety questions, so he let himself slip to another topic. "How is TARDIS doing? I mean, it wasn't in a very good shape the last time I saw it..."

"Last time you shot it with a rifle" the Doctor specified. "No offense" he added right away, "it was the only way, and I should say "thank you" for doing that, if I have forgotten to tell you that before, but then... It did take a lot of effort to get rid of the Paradox Machine parts and turn it back into an good old TARDIS. But it is back, finally, and... it's about time for me to go, I think."

"What do you plan to do, then?"

"Well, a little thing here and there... it all depends" the Doctor said indefinitely, much like the way he had always answered questions about plans. He never had any plans – it was the Doctor they were talking about. "You know me – I'll manage somehow." He smiled again, reassuringly. "It's just that right now I have something to do, someone to take care of – so it's going to be different. But then it's never the same anyway, so..."

"So, that's it, then." Jack stated.

"Yep, that's it." The Doctor confirmed.

"Well, then..." Jack made himself stand at attention and saluted the Doctor.

The Doctor casually saluted back. Then he looked at Martha.

They hugged again, this time just for one fleeting moment, and when she was letting go, she kissed him on cheek. A little farewell gesture.

"Oh, and by the way" she searched in her pockets and took her get-a-signal-everywhere phone out, only to throw it into the Doctor's hands. "Keep that, I'm not having you disappear, especially if you're on the quest like that. Don't you think so, Jack?"

"Oh, I agree with you, ma'am" Jack nodded in support, his jokier side clearly being in charge.

"Then I should better be ready for a call, shouldn't I?" the Doctor smiled, holding the phone.

"You'd better."

The Doctor turned to open the TARDIS, and then turned back to them, leaning against the door.

"See you, then" he smiled.

"See you. And good luck!" she wished him.

"See you soon." Jack saluted again, casually this time.

The Doctor looked at them for a couple of moments, one last time – then turned back decidedly and went inside the TARDIS, closing the door being him.

The next moment the Time Machine started to make its familiar grinding and whirring sounds – and in a matter of seconds became transparent and finally disappeared, leaving the empty space on the road in front of them as well as in their hearts.

When she looked at Jack she saw anxiety written all over his face, yet again.

"It is going to be all tight." She said to him, her voice not loud, but firm

"Well, it's not like it's impossible, I know, but still..." Jack commented, obviously still having doubts about the risks the Doctor was getting himself into, taking the Master together with him in what appeared to be the last proper Time Machine in the universe.

She couldn't blame him, she would have been worried too, if she were in his place. And to say the truth, she was worried, she still was. But then – she decided to believe those words. But then...

"No, you don't get it" she continued calmly. "It's really going to be all right – at least it's going to be better."

Jack shifted his gaze to her and looked closely. Well, he was the one to understand what she meant, considering his previous occupation.

"What do you..."

"Believe me – I just know."

Jack stared at her with even more suspicion, but she met his gaze with confidence.

For the moment, she did not plan to give any further explanations.


End file.
